2070

2070 - Part A​Data: Two Internal emails from within the Tomorrow Project / R’lyeh Institute, filed under “Time”. ​Context: While it is unclear when the time discrepancy issues that predated The Rift began, these communications within the company suggest the problem had been noted in 2070. It is unknown as to whether R'lyeh Institute recognised the significance of these apparent discrepancies and chose not to disclose this information to company employees, or whether these were genuinely thought to be minor recurrent computer glitches. In any case, no preventative action appears to have been taken at this stage.

​2070 - Part B

Data: Transcript of Video Statement by Martha Carter

Context: Martha Carter was Managing Director at The Tomorrow Project, appointed to this role by Dr. Dexter Ward in 2063. The above is the transcript of a recorded statement made by Ms Carter to the Project’s Directorate at R’lyeh Institute, Switzerland, following an incident regarding The Tomorrow Project's Estate and Project Manager, Joel Manton in November 2070.

​M CARTER STATEMENT, 2070​Here follows a recorded statement made by Martha Carter, Managing Director at The Tomorrow Project, to the Project’s Directorate at R’lyeh Institute, Switzerland, following an incident regarding Estate and Project Manager, Joel Manton in November 2070:

Ladies and Gentlemen, Colleagues of the Directorate. I have been briefed by Human Resources and advised to provide you with a statement of the incident which occurred at the Inner Ocean Base last week and the on-going situation at our Project HQ in Nusakambangan. As I’m sure you will appreciate, this situation is time sensitive and a swift resolution is required.

To provide context to this report, Tomorrow Project’s Estates Manager, Joel Manton, has, for a number of weeks, been behaving erratically. He was absent from a number of staff meetings, had ceased replying to emails and his office was frequently found to be empty; his whereabouts unknown. Concerns were reported by staff on Mr Manton’s team and made known to HR in October.

However, on balance it was felt that Mr Manton’s work on the project to date has been exemplary and that some of these behaviours may simply be the result of too long spent at the Inner Ocean Base and on the R’lyeh City construction site. Arrangements were made for Mr Manton’s working pattern to take him back to Project HQ at Nusakambangan inDecember, and thereafter to take three weeks of annual leave in January, thereby allowing him to return home and spend time with his family.

However, recent events have preceded this course of action, and the situation has changed.

I was sufficiently concerned for Mr Manton’s welfare that I went to meet the inbound shuttle that was transporting him from the Base to Project HQ on November 8th. I found Mr Manton’s appearance to be greatly changed. I have worked with Joel for the last five years, and know him well. Until his recent issues, we had met weekly either in person or via videolink for staff meetings. However, the man that disembarked from the shuttle last week was greatly and gravely changed.

[inaudible - sobbing]

My apologies.

Joel, Mr Manton, appeared to be a completely different person than the colleague I have worked with all these years, the man, in fact, I interviewed and appointed to his position in 2065.

I am aware that what I am saying is confusing and does not sound rational. However, it will be supported by the statements of other staff in my team and in other departments.

According to Mr Manton’s personnel file, he was born on March 12th 2027. This makes him forty-three years old. The man who arrived at Nusakambangan does not, however, appear to be forty-three; he is physically aged, frail, confused and disoriented, his hair is entirely white.

What is so upsetting is that I am nonetheless convinced that this man is Joel Manton. He is greatly changed, much, much older than he should be, behaving irrationally and physically very weak. However, his mannerisms are the same. Joel’s distinctive accent is still in evidence. His retinal scan is recognised by the system. It is my understanding that a DNA test has been taken. I am not, however, privy to these results. Yet I am convinced that this man is Joel.

The nature of the transformation that has taken place is extensive. I have no way of explaining how this has come about. I can confirm, however, that it has only been three weeks since I last spoke with Joel via video link and none of these physical changes were in any way apparent at that time.

It seems clear from talking to staff at the base that Joel went on a routine trip to the R’lyeh City undersea construction site to inspect progress and review targets. He returned on November 2nd, greatly stressed and somewhat incoherent. He was taken to the medical bay and given fluids for rehydration and medication for sedation. The next day he was declared fit for work. The wisdom of this decision now appears questionable.

Joel then returned to the undersea site again on November 4th, and did not make contact with or come back to the base again until November 6th. This was not of great concern in that the construction site is now perfectly habitable, but it was irregular for Joel not to check in with either the Base or HQ. When he resurfaced on November 6th, he was in thecondition I have described above – extremely weak, confused, apparently three or four decades older. He would not or could not answer any questions as to what happened to him at the R’lyeh City site and we have, as yet, been unable to make contact with the construction team due to interference in the comms system. It has been noted that all Joel will say is the same phrase, without variation: Past, Present, Future - all are one.

The decision was made by the medical team at the Base to recommend that Mr Manton be transferred without delay to Nusakambangan. He is now being treated at our medical facilities at HQ which, although they are more extensive than those available at the Base, are not fully equipped to those in a state of the art hospital. We would like to request a medevac for Joel, and we would like to be able to contact his wife and explain the situation to her as she will be greatly worried that Joel has not been in contact.

I have been informed by my line-manager at R’lyeh Institute that the confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements in place regarding staffing at Nusakambangan is such that any such request must be put to the Directorate for approval. So I am taking the unusual step of recording my statement of events for your information and I am making a request that Mr Manton’s transfer arrangements can be approved and expedited as a matter of urgency and that I can be given permission to contact his wife today.

Thank you for your time – I will be available at any time to clarify any queries you may have and to put a plan for Joel’s transfer to Jakarta into immediate effect.